Exploring the Wild
Yellowstone Wildlife, Photography & Field Guides
Explore Yellowstone and beyond through in-depth wildlife insights, photography guides, and real field experience. This collection of articles covers seasonal wildlife behavior, where to find animals, and how to photograph them in changing conditions. You’ll also find astrophotography guides, location breakdowns, and practical techniques used in the field. Whether you’re planning a trip or refining your skills, this is where knowledge meets real-world experience.
The Wild in Yellowstone: Bison Rut
August brings one of Yellowstone National Park's most dramatic wildlife events: the American bison rut. Across Hayden Valley and Lamar Valley, mature bulls gather with larger herds, bellowing, wallowing, and competing for breeding opportunities. These powerful animals display extraordinary strength as they challenge rivals and follow receptive females through the grasslands. For wildlife photographers, the bison rut provides opportunities to capture intense behavior, dust-filled confrontations, and remarkable environmental portraits. In this edition of The Wild in Yellowstone, we explore the timing of the bison breeding season, how to recognize courtship and dominance behavior, and where to find the best viewing opportunities. Learn camera settings and techniques for photographing rutting bison safely while documenting one of Yellowstone's most memorable summer wildlife spectacles.